Friday, February 24, 2012

Sourland Mountain: The Sun in the Morning

The Hillsborough Township Environmental Commission will be hearing an application for a 20-acre almost 10,000-panel solar array on the side of the Sourland Mountain where there is, currently, woods.

KDC Solar GRQ, LLC, of Bedminster has filed an application for a solar array on 20-acres of the 508.415-acre Gibraltar Rock property (Block 174, Lot 155) on the east side of Longhill Road between Zion Road and Dutchtown-Zion Road on the southeast corner of the quarry adjacent to Montgomery Township.

The project consists of a 9,996-panel, 2.3-megawatt solar array in four sections. Fourteen-acres will contain site improvements (the array, maintenance road, stormwater retention system, swales, drain pipe, and overhead utilities), while the remaining 6-acres will be cleared around the array to mitigate shading on the panels.

As for the woods, the applicant states that using sample areas and averaging, there are 2,298 trees greater than 6-inches in caliper in the area. The applicant has requested an Economic Hardship Waiver for the tree mitigation cost.

The array's life-span is 20-years with a 5-year optional extension, with the infrastructure removed at the end of the lifespan of the solar array. ##The Environmental Commission meeting starts at 7 p.m., Monday February 27,2012, in the Multi-Purpose Room of the Municipal Complex at 379 South Branch Road.##"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way.” - Dr. Seuss##Most Hillsborough residents remember the Gibraltar Quarry under the previous owner's name - 3M. Look toward the southern end of the Sourland Mountain, the quarry is the light-colored gash in the middle of the woods.

About Me

Hughes ap Williams is my "nom de blog" - a name honoring my Welsh grandmothers. I moved into Hillsborough in 1985 from a neighboring town. I have worked many jobs and my employers have included an international company, a municipality, and a college.
I am currently self-employed.
Email can be sent to:
HNJJ08844 "at" comcast.net
Other members of the HNJJ crew include SG and GM.